WSGC Newsletter for Educators

The Washington NASA Space Grant Consortium's electronic newsletter for teachers provides curriculum ideas, Internet links and other resources to help you better meet the Washington EALRs and the National Science Education Standards.

On March 11, the Museum of Flight hosts "Women Fly!" -- an intensive day of career exploration, mentoring, unique educational opportunities and fun for high school girls interested in flight.

The event provides girls with the opportunity to meet and interact with more than thirty professional women from a wide variety of aviation and aerospace careers, including Mary Dilda, FedEx first officer and acclaimed airshow pilot; Capt. Tanya Durham, Marine Corps attack helicopter pilot and Iraq veteran; Col. Rebecca Garcia, commander of the 62nd Maintenance Group at McChord Air Force Base; Capt. Barbara Harmer, former British Airways Concorde pilot; and Capt. Rose Loper, Boeing production test pilot, Army Reserve brigadier general and former helicopter pilot.

Registration is $5 and must be received by Monday, March 7. For more information or an application, call 206-764-5720, extension 329, or visit

NASA Ames Research Center is looking for motivated, creative educators of grades 3-8 to become elite members of a NASA peer-mentoring network, the Airspace Systems Education Cohort (ASEC).

Those selected will attend a three-day institute August 4-6 at Ames Research Center in California. Participants will engage in scientific inquiry at the leading edge of education and technology, and prepare to share their experiences with their students and colleagues. The application deadline is March 21. For information and applications, go to

Each packet contains a poster about ancient observatories and one on the sun as viewed by various ground and space-based observatories; two CDs on relationships between the sun and earth; a DVD about sun-earth interactions; and other information about various NASA satellites that study the sun. Also included are classroom activities for various grade levels.

To request a packet, e-mail your name, address and the grade level(s) you teach to

The Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory will hold its 2005 Mathematics Summer Institute July 25-29 at University of Puget Sound in Tacoma. The Institute will explore instructional strategies to foster children's number sense and algebraic reasoning.

Participants receive lodging, meals, materials and a $250 stipend. The application deadline is March 28. For more information, go to

The UW Department of Biology is offering its Summer Institute in Life Science (SILS) for K-8 Teachers June 27 - July 22. This four-week program provides hands-on exploration and careful follow-up with biology faculty, allowing teachers to experience life science as a process of inquiry and problem solving.

Teachers receive 8 credits of Biology 491, all course materials and $100 in equipment at no cost. Some assistance with lodging for out-of-area teachers is also available. The application deadline is March 21. For more information or to apply online, visit

On March 22, teachers can acquaint themselves with the wilds of Washington through dynamic presentations from the Olympic Park Institute and Woodland Park Zoo's Wild Wise staff. This free open house takes pace from 6:30-9:00 p.m. in the Seattle Rotary Education Center at Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle.

Teachers can learn about scholarships, free presentations and ways to meet EALRs, GLEs and State Environmental Education Goals through an appreciation for the natural world. There will also be refreshments and door prizes. Pre-registration is required. To sign-up, call 206-615-0295 or email

High school juniors and seniors are invited to apply for the ACCESS 2005, the UW Minority Science & Engineering Program's annual Saturday engineering o, which will beheld on the University of Washington Seattle campus April 9-May 21. The program is aimed at exposing students from underrepresented groups to career possibilities in engineering and the sciences. This year the focus is on mechanical engineering, computer science and engineering, and genomics.

The program also develops students skills in areas such as project management, problem-solving, critical thinking, and team work. ACCESS 2005 is a commuter program. Students must arrange their own transportation to and from the campus. Applications postmarked by March 28 will have first consideration for the program. For more information and an application, go to the MSEP website below and click on "Programs:"

Ideas, comments and Web sites of interest to other teachers should be sent to Irene Svete, newsletter editor, at
isvete@u.washington.edu

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